The Storm Fox
by MasterMind2553
Summary: AU. Naruto was 6 years old when the Kyūbi attacked Konoha, surviving when the full beast was sealed within. The Sandaime kept his entire existence a secret from the general public, marking him off as dead. Now, 14 years later, how will the world react to the emergence of the "Arashi no Kitsune"? Powerful!Bloodline!ChakraChain!Naruto x Small Collective (Temporary Hiatus)
1. Elite Jōnin Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto

**_Hello, everyone!  
_**

**_I've always wanted to write a Naruto fanfic, but I just never found my muse. Now, thankfully, I have found it! So here it is! Unfortunately, this will not be my main focus, for I am currently focusing on my two Fairy Tail fanfics. If you're a Fairy Tail fan, I encourage you to check them out, and I hope you enjoy them if you do. _**

**_Now, this story is a complete AU of canon. Naruto will be 20 at the start of the series instead of 12 (All Genin will begin at the age of 14, for story purposes). He will have the WHOLE__ Ky___ūbi sealed into him,__** **_not only half. He will also be its first Jinchūriki._****_ Naruto will possess three Kekkei Genkai in this fic, namely Ranton (Storm Release), Jinton (Swift Release), and Hy_**_**ōton ( Ice Release), **_**_as well as Kushina's chakra chains. So, you can guess he possesses Raiton, Fūton, and Suiton affinities_**_._**_ I have not seen a Naruto fanfic with him having a combination of those bloodlines along with the chakra chains, so I decided to go ahead with it. _**

**_(Quick Note: It's not exactly specified which elemental affinities comprise the Jinton Kekkei Genkai, or if it has any elemental affinities at all, so I'm going with Raiton and F_****_ū_**_**ton. Oh, and... NO RINNEGAN! He's already borderline OP as it is!)**_

**_Now, down to the matter almost everyone is going to ask me from the beginning... pairings. The pairing of this story will be Naruto x small harem of 4 women, with the likelihood of increasing to 5. However, I already know who's going to be in it, so I, unfortunately, will not be accepting suggestions, as good as they may be. The harem will be revealed later, though this chapter MAY contain a tiny hint. _**_**  
**_

**_(Quick Note #2: No, it will not be NaruHina. That pairing is already canon. Besides, the pairing will be impossible considering the story's background. 'Nuff said.)_**

**_Anyways, onto the story!_**

**_Please read and review! (Flames will be sealed in my personal_ _Fūka Hōin to be disposed of.) _**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer:_**** I do not own Naruto, its rights or any of its characters, jutsu, locations, etc. Those belong to the one and only Masashi Kishimoto. I only own any possible OC's, my jutsu, etc. Any resemblance to anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, any elements of Bleach (be it attacks or anything of the sort) introduced in this fic belong entirely to Tite Kubo. Finally, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment. **

Hello " " = **Dialogue**

**Raiton " " = Jutsu and Non-Human Speech**

_What? ' ' =_ **Thoughts**_  
_

_**DIE! ' ' =**_ **Non-Human Thoughts**

* * *

**_The Storm Fox_**

**Chapter 1: Elite Jōnin Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto**

20 year old ANBU Captain Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto woke to the warm, yet powerful rays of Konoha sunlight showering over his eyes, as well as the knocking of his apartment's door.

He sighed heavily. The last mission had really taken it out of him. How could it not? It was S-ranked, after all.

Sandai-jiji, as he affectionately called the Sandaime Hokage, was really putting the hammer down on him in regards to mission load. As much as he hated to admit it, even _he_, with his nigh limitless stamina, still had a limit.

But, he could not complain, due to the mere fact that, even if these times were of "peace", there was still a great deal of undercover strife amongst the elemental nations and their respective hidden villages, layered under the more overt conflicts.

Kirigakure no Sato was stuck in a civil war, often called the "Bloodline Purges", where having a Kekkei Genkai was something akin to taboo. Led by Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage and the Sanbi Jinchūriki, the village had been stuck in war for a considerable number of years, isolating the village, along with Mizu no Kuni, from the rest of the world. He withheld a scoff at that. Having three Kekkei Genkai himself, he would be religiously hunted by the Mizukage's forces… had he lived there, of course.

Iwagakure no Sato still held an incredible grudge towards Konoha for the exploits of his deceased father, Namikaze Minato, the "Kiiroi Senkō" and Yondaime Hokage, against their armies during the Third Shinobi World War. The Sandaime Tuchikage, "Ryōtenbin no Ōnoki", had called a truce between them, but his villagers still held great amounts of animosity towards Konoha as a whole. He had to wonder just how all this time had passed without open conflict flaring up between them.

Sunagakure no Sato still held an alliance to Konoha, but the daimyō of Kaze no Kuni would frequently redirect missions originally intended for the village towards Konoha, drastically compromising its economy while causing tension amongst the allies. The cause for that redirection was still unknown.

Surprisingly, Kumogakure no Sato signed an alliance with Konoha, even though tensions were still somewhat high thanks to the Hyūga Incident a few years ago, where the heiress was almost successfully kidnapped by an "envoy" of Kumo. Needless to say, tensions were very high amongst the two villages for sometime before the alliance was signed.

Both villages saw it beneficial to have an alliance with each other, economically and militarily, with Kumo even going so far as offering to train him in mastering his bijū.

The offer was done under the table, of course. To the people of the village, including the Civilian and Shinobi Council, he was dead, having perished on October 10th 14 years ago along with his father, who took the Kyūbi with him. Only the Hokage, the Raikage, A, the Hachibi Jinchūriki, Kirābī, and his godfather, Jiraiya of the Sannin, knew of him, as well as the ANBU Commander when he joined.

Now, the entirety of ANBU knew about him, though, even among the elite shinobi and kunoichi, by law, he was an S-Rank secret punishable by instant removal from the organization and death if it were broken.

Of course, the Sandaime Hokage accepted the offer. Having a Jinchūriki with full "control" of his bijū was a far greater asset to the village than one without it.

Those were some of the most painful years of his life, he had to admit. However, they were absolutely worth it, for he had not only gained "control" of his bijū's powers, he had struck a rather odd friendship with it. He had asked the Kyūbi for his name, only to be rebutted, the giant fox calling him an "unworthy sack of flesh that did not deserve to know Kyūbi-sama's name". Oh, the arrogance!

He could've sworn his sword that he heard a scoff from inside his mind.

To his utter surprise, the Kyūbi had "deigned him worthy" of the knowledge that he was his first Jinchūriki. However, he had an extensive history with Konoha, going all the way back to the times of the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama. Apparently, he was controlled by Uchiha Madara, the legendary patriarch of the Uchiha Clan at the time, and summoned to fight the legendary patriarch of the Senju Clan. However, even with _his_ power added into the mix, Madara lost against Hashirama, almost resulting in him being sealed inside his wife, Uzumaki Mito.

He wasn't clear on how he managed to escape the clutches of Hashirama's **Mokuton**, though. To the blond Jinchūriki, it was an obviously sore subject for the bijū, so he never pressed him for answers.

A soft, yet deep growl emerged from within him. Naruto couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Oh, lay off it, fur ball. As much as you hate to admit it, you have respect for the Shodaime. He wasn't called the "Shinobi no Kami" for nothing, you know…"

**"****I suggest you keep your mouth shut, ****_human_****, unless you want me to drag you in here and show you why I am known as the strongest of the bijū."**

"Ha! If I'm not mistaken, you are still in that cage my _human_ father created. What do you say to _that_, oh mighty Kyūbi-_sama_?"

**"****A cage that, if ****_I'm_**** not mistaken, ****_you_**** unlocked when you wanted access to my full power."**

"Oh, right, I forgot that…" Naruto rubbed his head in slight embarrassment.

**_'_****_Why the hell do I allow this idiotic human to harness my full power?'_**

"Still, I am grateful towards you for allowing me to use your power. It's an incredible ace in the hole to have whenever I get into a pinch," Naruto stated. He heard the Kyūbi sigh.

**_'_****Ace in the hole?!****_ Is he fucking serious?! He should only rely on _****my****_ power! Ah, whatever, won't convince him of that…'_**

**"****Sure, whatever, kit. Spare me the mushiness, it's repugnant. Now, hurry up and get ready. Find out what that old monkey wants and get it done. I'm going to sleep." **

"Sweet dreams, lazy ass," Naruto quipped sarcastically. He looked in the mirror, idly hearing knocking once again.

He was tall, formidably so, standing at six feet and two inches. His sun-kissed blond hair was as spiky and long as his father's, if not more so, with two bangs framing his face, looking eerily like him. He was shirtless, showcasing his lean, yet very muscular body, built for pure speed, and not a small amount of strength. He wore loose pajamas of a black color, and he had the trademark ANBU tattoo on his right arm. All in all, he was very handsome.

However, his most distinguishing features were three dark whisker marks on each of his cheeks, and last, but certainly not least, his captivating violet eyes… eyes just like his mother, Uzumaki Kushina.

The knocking sound rang once again, interrupting his thought process. This time, they sounded a lot more persistent.

"Coming! Geez, doesn't hurt to be patient, you know…" he called out, muttering his last statement as he walked to his front door. Idly noticing his ANBU mask, with an intricate fox-like design, resting on a small table close to the door, he unlocked it and almost threw it open, revealing an ANBU kunoichi. In fact, she was a member of his own squad, Neko.

She wore the standard ANBU uniform, consisting of a gray flak jacket, black sleeveless shirt, black pants, metal armguards with elbow-length black gloves, and black reinforced ninja sandals. She was the stereotypical ANBU; only her long, rather beautiful purple hair was distinguishable.

He noticed her straighten up instantly when he opened the door, but when he revealed himself fully, he noticed her falter slightly in her posture, possibly a result of opening the door shirtless. However, she quickly gathered herself.

"Taichō!" she said, saluting him.

"Yes, Neko?" he asked. "What can I do for you on this fine day?"

"Sandaime-sama has requested your presence in his office immediately!" she replied, earning a nod from Naruto.

"Very well, I'll be there as soon as possible. Thank you, Neko," he said. Saluting once again, she flickered away in the direction of the ANBU HQ.

_'__And here I thought the old man was going to give me a vacation. Ha, dream on, Naruto. Dream on,'_ he mused internally.

Idly, he grabbed his ANBU gear, along with his trademark short-sleeved, pure-white long coat with blue lightning designs at the end and the kanji for "Storm Fox" sewed in the backside.

_'__Something tells me I should have this baby ready,'_ thought Naruto as he walked into the restroom and took a shower.

When he finished, he got out, readied himself, and looked at the clock. 11:47 a.m.

His eyes widened slightly. He had grossly overslept!

Quickly ensuring that he had all of his necessary equipment on his person, including his fox mask, he noticed the lack of his extension of himself… his specially crafted katana, enhanced with invisible sealing arrays of his own making.

Without a second of thought, he strapped his trusted sword on his back and disappeared in a blue flash.

…

Sarutobi Hiruzen, widely known as "The Professor" and the "Shinobi no Kami", was very deserving of those epithets. Having survived two Shinobi World Wars and amassing an incredible knowledge of ninjutsu of all elements, including fūinjutsu, as well as being nigh unrivaled in taijutsu, and last but certainly not least, bōjutsu, it was hard not to give him such haughty titles. Even in his old age, few would dare challenge the Sandaime Hokage one-on-one, and those who did, barely made it out alive to tell the tale.

However, if one were to look at him right now, he/she would think him completely undeserving of those titles.

Why?

He was currently sitting in his desk, completely ignoring the ever-growing pile of paperwork, giggling perversely as he read a small orange book. He was blushing slightly, barely withholding a nosebleed.

"Oh, Kuina, you naughty, naughty girl…" he whispered to himself, succumbing to another fit of giggles.

The ANBU squad hidden in indistinct corners of the office could only shake their heads imperceptibly, the female of the group withholding her righteous feminine rage with great difficulty. He was the _Hokage_, after all.

To beat him outright was something akin to capital sin!

However, Usagi's torture thankfully ended, with the trademark blue flash of one of her superiors, Kitsune-taichō, or, in the outside world, her greatest crush, Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto.

She could've stayed and admired the irresistibly handsome man that was her captain, but what happened next befitted a comedy show, completely capturing her attention. The Sandaime Hokage was so startled by his sudden appearance that he jumped away from his desk and accidentally flung his book outside the window. He faced the window, his eyes wide in comedic horror.

"NOO! MY PRECIOUS!" with that he flickered outside, grabbed his book, and flickered back in, with agility beyond his age.

Usagi was heaving silently, barely restraining her laughter at the scene. The other ANBU in the room tried their best to remain impassive. However, they were barely succeeding

Noticing the perpetrator of such an "atrocity", in his point of view, Hiruzen instantly sobered up and cleared his throat, adopting what he liked to call "Professor Mode".

"Ah, Kitsune, good of you to come so quickly," he greeted his surrogate grandson kindly, yet seriously. Kitsune kneeled on one knee and bowed his head.

"Sandaime-sama, I am here as per your orders. What do you need of me?" Kitsune inquired, sincerely curious as to what the Hokage could want on his _vacation_ day.

"Kitsune, I received an urgent message from former ANBU Captain Hatake Kakashi, now Jōnin sensei of Genin Team 7. They are Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Sai. On their C-Ranked mission to Nami no Kuni, they encountered C-Rank missing-nin duo Gōzu and Meizu, also known as the "Oni Kyōdai"," he explained, with Naruto listening raptly.

"This increases the difficulty of this mission by a large margin, easily making it B-Rank, if not A-Rank, according to the message, which clearly stated that the possibility of encountering Jōnin level missing-nin is great," the Third finished. Kitsune nodded and stood up.

"I see, so you want me to go and provide assistance," he stated.

"Yes, but not as Kitsune-taichō of ANBU, but as Elite Jōnin Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto," the elder Hokage quipped, greatly surprising Kitsune. However, before the blond could say anything, he continued, "Yes, Kitsune, I am removing you from ANBU duty. Please remove your mask and hand it to me."

"Forgive the inquiry, Sandaime-sama, but may I know why?" asked Naruto, surprised at the sudden action of his leader. However, he still complied with the order and removed his mask and placed it on the desk, showing his dazzling violet eyes in their full splendor.

"You have served the village in the shadows for a rather long time, _too_ long, in my opinion. Besides, I think it's time the Uzumaki-Namikaze Clan makes a comeback to Konoha, don't you think?" asked the old man, smiling proudly at the blond soon-to-be ex-ANBU Captain.

"If you say so… Sandai-jiji," Naruto replied, smiling softly.

"I advise you to be prepared, for I will announce you to the village when you return from this mission. Here are the mission parameters, in case you decide to… _forget_," he commented, smirking knowingly as he tossed two scrolls to Naruto, who was grumbling incoherently. Catching them singlehandedly, Naruto's visage exuded confusion.

"Why two scrolls?" he asked.

"Ah, well. Here's the situation. On the surface, your mission is to bring back Team 7 in one piece. Covertly, your mission will be to assassinate Gatō, the shipping magnate terrorizing Nami no Kuni, give control of his company to the people, and secure an alliance with them. Both are A-Rank missions with the latter bordering on S-Rank," the elder Hokage explained. Naruto nodded and bowed.

"It shall be done, Hokage-sama," he stated in a business-like tone.

"Good luck, Naruto-kun. Depart as soon as you can. You are free to go," he dismissed. However, before Naruto could leave, the old man's eyes widened slightly in realization.

"I forgot something," he quickly said, garnering the blonde's attention. Reaching down behind his desk, he picked up a small box and gave it to Naruto. "This box contains all of your Jōnin gear, with the pants and shirt being your favorite color, black. Wear it with pride and make me proud, Elite Jōnin Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto."

"Will do, Sandai-jiji," Naruto saluted before disappearing in a blue flash. Smiling serenely, the elder Hokage then gave his full attention into his small orange book, and began giggling perversely once again.

"Oh, Kura, what a dirty girl!"

And so began another long session of torture for Usagi…

…

Flashing into his apartment, Naruto quickly changed into his Jōnin outfit, putting on his black pants and wrapping his right leg in white cloth, wrapping his feet in the same cloth before putting his black ninja sandals on, his black long-sleeved shirt, with the trademark red swirls on the sides being a blue color, along with his fingerless gloves with metal plates on the backhand, and his green flak jacket. Right afterwards, he grabbed his coat and threw it on, finishing his outfit with the hitai-ate being strapped to his right arm.

Looking himself over in the mirror, he gave himself a thumb up, "Damn, I look good!"

"Now, let's see… do I have everything I need with me? Fūinjutsu materials? Check. Sealed kunai and shuriken? Check. Explosive notes? Check. Ninja wire? Check. My tent? Check. Food for a whole month? Check. Clothing for a month? Check. My trusty katana? Check. Food Pills? Check. Healing ointments? Check. My study materials? Check! Alright! It seems I'm ready to rock and roll!" he exclaimed to himself, quickly sealing everything he needed into separate, labeled storage scrolls that he sealed in _another_ storage scroll that he snugly secured in his flak jacket.

After that, he strapped his katana to his back, made sure his apartment was _at least_ presentably clean, and vanished in a blue flash.

Appearing in the south gates, startling the hell out of the Chūnin gate guards, he continued on his way, disappearing almost instantly.

However, that singular moment was enough for three people to catch a glimpse of him, two men, and a woman.

"W-Was that… the Y-Yondaime?" one of the men asked, utterly flabbergasted.

"T-There's n-n-no w-way…" replied the other, barely managing to recover his senses after the sight that completely changed his day from boring to something _far_ _better_. "I mean, Yondaime-sama died 14 years ago!"

"Then who was _that_?!" the other Chūnin almost shouted back. "I mean, even the jutsu he used looked a lot like Yondaime-sama's **Hiraishin no Jutsu**, only blue instead of yellow!"

"I don't know—"

"Should we tell Sandaime-sama about this?" the Chūnin continued, interrupting his partner.

"Nah, whoever it was, Sandaime Hokage-sama probably knows of him. After all, nothing ever escapes him," the other Chūnin replied after deliberating the choices along with their consequences for a while.

A greater distance away from "ground zero", a crimson-eyed beauty with untamed black hair was staring at the scene with equal, perhaps greater astonishment.

'_The Yondaime? No, it can't be! But… the blond hair, the white coat, the _jutsu itself_… it all screamed him!'_ she thought, still not taking her eyes off that same spot.

_'__I have to speak to Hokage-sama. Perhaps he knows about this…'_

…

Sitting behind his desk, staring at a crystal ball, a component crucial for his **Tōmegane no Jutsu**, the Sandaime Hokage only shook his head, smiling amusedly at his surrogate grandson's already boisterous antics.

"Already causing a commotion, Naruto-kun. I knew you would not be able to hold yourself back," he muttered to himself. "Well, here come the questions, as well as the rumors. Come at me!"

Usagi only sweat-dropped at _his_ antics while gazing dazedly at the crystal ball that followed her crush, silently thanking him for ending her torture for _just a while longer_.

Then came the giggling…

_'__Ugh. Why am I even assigned here! This old pervert keeps reading that accursed book when he should be doing paperwork! Oh Naruto-kun, why don't you come and rescue me from this torture? I'll be_ forever grateful _to you…'_

She never noticed her nose bleeding slightly from within her mask…

…

Elite Jōnin Hatake Kakashi was not having the greatest time of life…

In fact, this was just not his _week_…

It had started out okay, with him pounding teamwork exercises into his "cute little Genin" and doing D-Rank missions, but tempers ran high, and the prodigy of the team, Uchiha Sasuke, demanded a higher ranked mission.

They were given one, and it seemed simple! Escort an old, drunken bridge builder back to Nami no Kuni and make sure he got there alive. It was a simple C-Rank mission, capable of being done by the freshest of Genin!

Or so he thought…

Things were beginning to go downhill with the appearance of the "Oni Kyōdai" Gōzu and Meizu, C-Rank missing-nin from Kiri. His team, to his surprise, actually handled themselves admirably, managing to subdue both Chūnin with little difficulty.

Heck, even the fan girl of the team, Haruno Sakura, did something helpful by protecting the bridge builder, Tazuna, from the clutches of the duo, providing enough assurance for her teammates to finish the job without having to worry.

When they were done, he got the _entire_ details of this wrongfully ranked mission, and, after some inter-team discussion, decided to proceed with the mission, with the condition that the mission pay would now be ranging from B to A-Rank.

He didn't think things could get any worse.

Oh, how wrong he was…

Nearly arriving at their destination, the situation hit rock bottom when they were attacked by A-Rank missing-nin Momochi Zabuza, the "Kirigakure no Kijin". After initial demands of handing over the bridge builder in exchange for their lives, a full-scale shinobi battle commenced between him the missing-nin.

Things seemed pretty even, until the wielder of **Kubikiribōchō** decided to involve his cute little Genin.

He should've known the "Kirigakure no Kijin" was just using them as bait to lure him into a trap, but he could not hold back his protective side, not after what happened to _his_ team.

He seldom cursed that side of him… This was one of those times.

Now, he was trapped in Zabuza's **Suirō no Jutsu**, and he was losing oxygen quickly. He could only helplessly watch as Sasuke and Sai struggled greatly in holding off one of Zabuza's water clones. He gritted his teeth in anger.

It was happening again. He was going to lose his team…

No, he would not allow it! He would go against his ninja way and tell them to leave him to his fate! Better him, a Jōnin that has lived his life, than Genin with much potential for the future!

"RUN!" he shouted, before coughing heavily. Infusing more chakra into his lungs, he continued, "Get away from here! The clones can't go that far from the original! Take the bridge builder and run!"

"Hell no, Kakashi-sensei!" Sasuke shouted back. "You said that those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum! I will not abandon you!"

He moved to strike the missing-nin's clone, but it was too fast. With a sharp, precise kick to the chest, he sent Sasuke flying back into a tree, where he crashed mightily. Crying in sheer pain, the Uchiha spat out some blood. Zabuza's clone then disabled Sai while charging at Sasuke, his sword raised high in the air.

"SASUKE-KUN, NOOO!" screamed Sakura in abject horror.

Sasuke could only stare in paralyzed fear as the sword inched closer and closer to him. It was over, he was dead. He would no longer be able to restore his clan, and have his revenge against Itachi. It was all for nothing!

It happened as if in slow motion…

One second, the Zabuza clone was ready to cleave Sasuke in half, the other, water splashed onto the Uchiha's face. The clone was dispelled.

But by whom?

"I'm not late… am I, Kakashi-senpai?" asked a deep, male voice, eerily reminiscent of Kakashi's sensei.

The fluttering sound of a coat rang solemnly in the deafening silence. The Genin and the bridge builder's eyes were as wide as they could go as they gazed at the new arrival.

The mere presence of this blond-haired man with violet eyes screamed inhuman power, along with a primal ferocity that should only belong to a wild beast. It frightened them to no end.

_'__Who _is_ this guy? I'm already terrified of him, and it's only by his presence! He isn't releasing _any_ chakra whatsoever!'_ thought Sasuke, staring at the blond in anticipation and slight fear.

_'__What is this feeling that I'm getting? Is it what people call… _fear?_ Is this the emotion that Danz__ō-sama removed from me?' _thought Sai, his normally stoic expression showing a hint of fear.

_'__Such a powerful feel from him! I… I can barely breathe! But, this man… he looks a lot like the Yondaime! Except his eyes, they're violet instead of blue. Are they related?' _thought Sakura, shivering madly.

_'__Now _that's _what you call a flashy entrance,_' thought Tazuna.

Kakashi stared in disbelief, and with no small amount of relief, at the man standing before him, piercingly staring at the two Jōnin enemies with his violet eyes.

_'__We're saved… Thank you, kōhai,'_ he thought.

"I see what Sandai-jiji meant…" Naruto whispered to himself, before continuing out loud, "Momochi Zabuza, A-Rank missing-nin of Kirigakure no Sato, and one of the "Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū". It is a… _pleasure_ to meet you."

"Well, well, it seems more Konoha nin have come to be killed by me. But, I'm at a disadvantage… You seem to know about me, but I know nothing about you. Who are you?" asked Zabuza, a maniacal grin obvious in the bandaged lower face. "I like to know the name of my victims before I slaughter them…"

With that, he released a large amount of Killing Intent laced with chakra, enshrouding him in a dark, demonic aura that paralyzed the Genin in pure, unadulterated fear. However, Naruto was unaffected.

"Impressive Killing Intent, Zabuza-san. Any lesser man would be frothing in the mouth with visions of his death. However… you're dealing with _me_, and I am no lesser man…" he stated menacingly, his released Killing Intent quickly matching and overtaking Zabuza's.

The missing-nin's eyes widened slightly in shock.

_'__He overtook my Killing Intent without breaking a sweat? This man's dangerous. I might have to release Kakashi and fight him full on,'_ he thought to himself.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, Elite Jōnin of Konohagakure no Sato, and your opponent," Naruto introduced himself, earning shocked gasps from everyone and a patented eye-smile from Kakashi.

_'__He's your son alright, Minato-sensei,'_ he thought.

_'__So he _IS_ related to the Yondaime. How incredible!' _thought Sakura.

_'__Namikaze? Like the Yondaime Hokage?! What's going on here? I thought that clan was extinct!'_ thought Sasuke.

_'__Namikaze… an extinct clan he claimed to be descended from. Yes, Danz__ō-sama_ must_ know about this…'_ thought Sai.

"Kindly release Kakashi-senpai from the water prison. I don't want him to get hurt, you know. It would look bad on my résumé," Naruto spoke, his tone laced with joking intent.

"Why don't you _make me_?" goaded Zabuza, smirking defiantly.

Naruto sighed in apparent defeat and then shrugged. "Very well… It seems I will have to resort to more… _persuasive_ methods…"

He raised his right hand and pointed his fingers at the missing-nin, so fast it was completely missed by the Genin.

**"****Raiton: Byakurai!"**

A thin beam of pure-white lightning shot from his fingertips and zoomed towards Zabuza's head. The shirtless nin's eyes widened in shock and he moved his head to the right, barely evading the jutsu. Feeling something warm sprouting from his cheek, he raised his left hand and swiped it across, seeing his own blood.

"Oh, dear, I missed," the violet-eyed Jōnin spoke derisively, his finger still pointed at the missing-nin. "I won't next time."

Bracing himself for another frontal assault, Zabuza almost vocally expressed his shock when the blond disappeared in a blue flash and appeared right behind him.

_'__He's fast! I have to dodge, but if I do, I release Kakashi! Damn him!'_ he thought, a hint of desperation evident.

**"****Raiton: Byakurai!"**

Once again, the pure-white beam of lightning shot forward, forcing him to dodge and release his jutsu. Kakashi fell on the water's surface, breathing heavily in nigh exhaustion. Zabuza jumped away from the Leaf ninja, holding his right arm. Naruto noticed blood flowing from the cut caused by his jutsu.

"Rest, Kakashi-senpai. Infusing such a large amount of chakra into your lungs must have drained you considerably. I'll handle this, don't worry," spoke Naruto assuredly, staring at Zabuza with narrow eyes. "Go and check on your Genin. They're not in the best of shapes, though it's easy to see that the Uchiha is in the worst shape."

"Very well, kōhai. I won't wish you luck, for I know you won't need any," he said, giving the violet-eyed Namikaze his trademark eye-smile.

"Be that as it may, still do so. This is a world of deception. You never know what abilities the enemy could be hiding," replied Naruto, turning slightly and smiling at the silver-haired Jōnin.

"Well, in that case, good luck… kōhai," Kakashi said, nodding, his eye-smile still present, covering his **Sharingan **eye with his hitai-ate before flickering away towards his team.

When he landed in front of his team, they quickly surrounded him, relieved expressions present, with the exception of Sai.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're okay!" Sakura shouted in relief, quickly checking over him.

"Kakashi-sensei, will that Naruto be okay?" asked Sasuke, pointing at the silent faceoff.

"Oh, you have no idea. See, kōhai is a Jōnin like me, but in terms of power, he's on a whole other level than me," Kakashi answered, pointing at Naruto with an eye-smile. "In fact, I think you should be worrying more about Zabuza should he decide to show some of his true power."

"Really? How is he so strong, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura.

"Well… he has a… _condition_ that, together with his Uzumaki heritage, gives him an almost infinite amount of chakra and stamina, making him virtually tireless in the field of battle and allowing him to just spam powerful jutsu after powerful jutsu without the slightest sign of fatigue," explained Kakashi, earning looks of awe from Sakura and Tazuna, while Sai remained emotionless and Sasuke frowned.

_'__What condition could he have…? Wait… does Kakashi-sensei mean a Kekkei Genkai? Which one, though?' _wondered Sasuke internally.

"Kakashi-sensei… do you mean a Kekkei Genkai?" he voiced out loud. Kakashi's looked straight at Sasuke, mentally considering his next words.

"Well… you can say that," Kakashi responded. "Well, that's enough talk, my cute little Genin. Let's watch how a fellow Konoha shinobi handles himself in battle against a powerful opponent, and see what we can learn from that."

"Yes Kakashi-sensei," they responded in unison. Kakashi also looked at the imminent battle.

_'__Show us what you got, kōhai…'_

Naruto, while standing on the water, stared impassively at Zabuza, who now held his **Kubikiribōchō** in hand, ready for battle. He slowly removed his katana from its sheath and pointed at the missing-nin. His coat fluttered with the passing breeze, giving him an air of power that few could match.

"It's just you and me, Zabuza-san. A one-on-one fight to the death," spoke Naruto softly, taking his stance. "Are you ready?"

"A fight to the death, huh? I like that!" he exclaimed, weaving one-handed hand seals at a very fast pace.

**"****Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"**

Close to Naruto, a large amount of water rose up into the air and surged towards him, intent on crushing him. However, Naruto was prepared, forming a one-handed hand seal, taking a deep breath while he did so.

**"****Suiton: Suijinheki!" **

Spitting pressurized water from his mouth, Naruto created a tall wall of water that protected him from the incoming surge. Both jutsu crashed mightily, splashing water all over the place.

The Genin stared in anticipation, already excited from the initial exchange of **Suiton **ninjutsu.

"Kakashi-sensei. Is Naruto-san okay?" asked Sakura. Kakashi gave her an eye-smile and nodded.

"Of course, Sakura. Kōhai is just getting started," he replied cryptically. She only nodded and continued watching.

Suddenly, there was a bright blue flash in the air, and Naruto appeared, his katana raised high in the air.

**"****Fūton: Kaze no Yaiba!"**

Charging his blade with **Fūton** chakra, he swung it, unleashing a pressurized blade of air that flew towards the missing-nin at incredible speeds. The wielder of **Kubikiribōchō** jumped away, barely managing to dodge the powerful jutsu.

When he landed on the water, Naruto was already upon him, ready to slice him in half with his katana. However, Zabuza wasn't a Jōnin for anything, managing to bring up his **Kubikiribōchō** in the nick of time and blocking the strike, even managing to throw the blond Jōnin back.

Naruto skidded across the water, a small smile on his face.

_'__Well, one thing's for sure… Zabuza-san has incredible physical strength,'_ Naruto thought.

"Let's skip the warm-up, eh, Zabuza-san?" he asked, earning a raised mini-brow from the missing-nin. "Please, allow me the honor to fight one of the "Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū" in pure kenjutsu. I want to know if I require more training in that art, and by fighting the foremost experts, there's no better way to find out."

"Ho… knowing that we _specialize_ in kenjutsu, and you're still challenging us? Ha! I like you brat, you got guts!" Zabuza exclaimed, taking a battle stance. "Very well then, let's go wild!"

"Yes… let's…"

With that, they rushed at each other with their swords raised high, ready to begin their duel…

…

* * *

_**Well, that's it for chapter one! It may feel rushed to a certain extent, but it's okay. Things may slow down a bit. **_

_**Anyways, I am not completely sure when I'm going to update, but I expect it to be sometime in May, if not June. Oh well...**_

_**I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**_

_**Thank you for reading!**_

_**Please! Review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	2. Nami no Kuni

_**Hello, everyone!**_

_**Yes, I'm aware of my past statement that I wouldn't update this fic until late May. But hey, m muse for this fic has not left me! So I decided to continue writing! And, marvelously, I have another chapter ready for you in less than a week! Isn't that great?! **_

_**I thank everyone that took the time to review this fic. I really appreciate your support. **_

_**Special shoutout to Armandhas, for showing me a mistake that I committed last chapter when it comes to the honorifics. I will edit that later.**_

_**I am completely astounded by the reception of this story. Being my first Naruto fic, I expected much less, but it was quite the opposite! Thank you once again!**_

_**Anyways, onto the story!**_

_**Please read and review! (I will not repeat myself when it comes to flames. If you wish to know what happens to them, read chapter 1.)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**_Disclaimer:_**** I do not own Naruto, its rights or any of its characters, jutsu, locations, etc. Those belong to the one and only Masashi Kishimoto. I only own any possible OC's, my jutsu, etc. Any resemblance to anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, any elements of Bleach (be it attacks or anything of the sort) introduced in this fic belong entirely to Tite Kubo. Finally, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment. **

Hello " " = **Dialogue**

**Raiton " " = Jutsu and Non-Human Speech**

_What? ' ' =_ **Thoughts**_  
_

_**DIE! ' ' =**_ **Non-Human Thoughts**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Nami no Kuni**

Both swordsmen clashed mightily, locking in a test of sheer physical strength. The shockwave produced by their strikes caused a small wave of water to head towards the shore and the trees to rustle.

Then the dance of blades began. Sparks were flying everywhere, the signature screech of metal clashing against each other ringing, with the occasional grunt of effort.

Zabuza tried to slash Naruto in an upwards fashion, but he was blocked by the blonde's downward strike. Applying even more strength, Zabuza propelled the Jinchūriki into the air, sending him towards the grouped Team 7.

Flipping through the air, Naruto landed on his feet and skidded backwards, his sword still at the ready. He noticed Zabuza running at him at great speeds, his **Kubikiribōchō **held behind him.

Naruto slashed diagonally downwards as Zabuza countered in the opposite direction. The struggle was momentary, though, for the sheer momentum possessed by the Kiri missing-nin overpowered Naruto's strike, sending him back.

Right after that, he struck at Naruto again, intending on bisecting him. He smiled maniacally at this, thinking that his attack would be successful.

Naruto, smiling, disappeared in a blue flash, appearing behind Zabuza.

Growling, the shirtless nin turned around, only to see the blond nin's finger pointed straight at him.

**"****Raiton: Byakurai!"**

Zabuza barely managed to evade the deadly beam of lightning through a **Shunshin no Jutsu**. Unleashing a war cry, he jumped towards the water and began to weave a long series of hand seals.

**"****Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"**

Out of the water, from behind Zabuza, an incredibly large dragon emerged, twisting and coiling as it zoomed towards Naruto, intending on damaging him as much as possible.

Naruto, seeing this, put his sword in its strap and ran through his own series of hand seals.

**"****Fūton: Fūjin Kaiten!"**

Manipulating the air currents around him, the blond encased himself in a sphere of rapidly rotating wind that began to tear into the water dragon when it came upon him, sending water all over the place. Once the water dragon was gone, he flashed over to Zabuza and continued their sword duel.

The Genin were completely engrossed in the battle, barely able to follow it properly. The only one holding a semblance of continuity was Sai, but, considering his secret training, it was obvious.

Tazuna was completely lost. Having no shinobi training himself, he had no idea what _exactly_ was going on, only that these two _extremely_ powerful people were laying it out in an all-out swordfight… or so he thought.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was looking at the fight contemplatively, frowning slightly.

_'__Kōhai, why aren't you finishing this right now? You are one of Konoha's foremost kenjutsu experts, right under Yūgao, Hayate and myself. Why the need to _"test" _yourself?'_ thought Kakashi. _'Is there something you're not telling me, kōhai? If so, then—'_

All semblance of thought was ripped out of Kakashi's mind as he heard the cries of shock from his Genin (excluding Sai, whose eyes just widened slightly), and Tazuna. Looking at the cause of such a reaction, his uncovered eye widened when he saw Zabuza break Naruto's guard and manage to land slash his entire chest diagonally upwards.

He was about to rush in, but his exhaustion forced him to stay down, making him watch helplessly as his sensei's son was brutally slashed multiple times.

_'__No! Kōhai!'_ he thought desperately, looking at his face. What he saw, though, left him floored. Naruto wasn't screaming in pain or gritting his teeth.

_He was smiling…_

"_Boom_…" he heard him whisper. Instantly, "Sharingan no Kakashi" understood the implications of that simple word. He mentally cheered at the ingeniousness of his junior.

Zabuza was confused at the blond brat's smile and his whispered word, but it all made sense when he started to glow, menacingly so.

_'__Shit! Don't tell me I've—'_

**"****Bunshin Daibakuha!" **

Zabuza tried to flicker away from the blast zone as quickly as he could, but it was too late… _a second too late_. The blast had caught him, sending him flying towards a tree. He crashed, groaning softly in pain. His **Kubikiribōchō**, by some kind of miracle, landed right beside him.

His entire body was singed slightly, releasing a small amount of smoke.

Then, Naruto appeared in front him, his sword already in his sheath.

"I see, Zabuza-san. Your kenjutsu is superior to mine. Thank you for allowing me to find out," Naruto stated, nodding in respect.

"I've been… fighting a clone… all this time? Why didn't it… dispel when I first… slashed it?" he asked in heavy pauses.

"Oh, that was a reinforced clone, holding a larger amount of chakra that I usually give them," Naruto replied, spreading out his senses, noticing Kakashi and his Genin coming to him, dragging along Tazuna.

Seeing that they were still a fair distance away, he pointed his sword at the missing-nin's chest, "This is the end, Zabuza-san. May God judge your soul fairly."

He was about to plunge his sword into his opponent's chest, but, suddenly, two Senbon struck Zabuza's neck, rendering him in a death-like state.

Naruto, on his part, was completely unsurprised. He had sensed the hunter-nin's chakra signature hiding in the trees, not far from where the battle was happening. Then, in front of him, using **Shunshin no Jutsu**, the hunter-nin appeared, kneeling besides Zabuza.

"Thank you, shinobi-san. Mizukage-sama has been looking for Momochi Zabuza for some time now, after his failed assassination attempt a few years ago. Now, I will be able to take the good news back to Mizukage-sama," said the hunter-nin in an obviously distorted male voice to prevent identification.

All in all, an act that was concocted rather well…

Naruto kneeled and checked Zabuza for a pulse, feeling nothing. He muttered, "He's dead."

"I shall remove his body from your presence, shinobi-san, and dispose of it myself," continued the hunter-nin, lifting Zabuza and placing him on his shoulder. Without another word, the hunter-nin vanished in a **Shunshin no Jutsu**.

_'__Well… we shall meet again, Zabuza-san,'_ Naruto mused. He turned around, and saw the group there, looking at him with varying expressions. He noticed awe and something… _else_ from Sakura, newly found respect from Sasuke, rather fake happiness from Sai, terrified wariness from Tazuna, and, last but certainly not least, the patented eye-smile from Kakashi.

"Kōhai," began Kakashi, looking at him straight in the eye. "I take it Hokage-sama sent you?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, Kakashi-senpai. My mission is to bring Team 7 back to Konoha safely after completion of their mission. I have another mission as well, but _that_ will be for your ears _only_."

Kakashi nodded, understanding the apparent seriousness of Naruto's other task.

_'__I wonder what could be Naruto's other mission… It's obviously situated here in Nami no Kuni. Could it involve Gatō?'_ he thought.

"Well," Kakashi spoke out loud. "Zabuza's gone, my cute little Genin. Let's keep going. Tazuna's hometown should not be too far away."

The Genin nodded, but abruptly stopped when their sensei fell to one knee, breathing heavily.

"Kakashi-sensei! What's wrong?!" asked Sakura in worry.

"Chakra exhaustion…" spoke Naruto softly as he kneeled and held Kakashi's shoulder. Everyone looked at him as he continued, "His usage of the **Sharingan**, along with heavy infusion of chakra into his lungs to breathe properly while in Zabuza's **Suirō no Jutsu**, caused this."

The teenager's eyed lit up in understanding, and they nodded.

"Well, not to worry. I'll carry him. You three continue guarding Tazuna-san until we get there," said Naruto commandingly, standing up to his full height. He made a hand seal.

**"****Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**

Suddenly, a burst of smoke erupted from the ground, and when it cleared, a perfect replica of Naruto was beside him. It kneeled in front of Kakashi and gestured for him to climb its back. The silver-haired Jōnin complied, and promptly fell asleep.

With that, they were on their way…

…

When the Konoha shinobi were traversing Tazuna's hometown, they instantly took notice of the extremely impoverished state it currently found itself in. The majority of the buildings seemed to be on their last legs, ready to collapse at the slightest push of a semi-strong breeze. The wood that comprised them was old and decayed, chipped and ready to snap in some places.

People wandered the streets, wearing rags for clothing, carrying small sacs that were sparsely filled of whatever they could scavenge of the beleaguered streets.

The worst of them were the children…

They walked around, looking at everyone with sad, pleading eyes, wearing the worst rags. Their small faces were full of dirt and grime, and they smelled rather terrible, a sign of not showering for a long time.

It was positively depressing…

_'__I see. So this is Gatō's doing. It's a good thing Sandai-jiji sent me on this mission. These poor people must have been suffering for a good amount of time. No more. Gatō, you will die, and so will the suffering of these innocent people,'_ Naruto vowed to himself. However, on the outside, he seemed completely impassive, which seemed to have struck a chord in Sakura, who was completely horrified at the state of the country.

"Naruto-san, how can you be so unaffected by the state of this country?" she asked, a myriad of emotions lacing her voice. Everyone looked at Naruto, who impassively looked back straight into her eyes, making her shrink back slightly in apprehension.

"On the absolute contrary, Haruno-san. I _am_ affected by the state of things here in Nami no Kuni," said Naruto. He was about to say something else, but Sakura interrupted.

"Please, Naruto-san, call me Sakura." Naruto nodded.

"Very well, Sakura. As I was saying, I _am_ affected by the state of things in this country. However, I have seen worse," Naruto stated. Sakura paled slightly.

"W-Worse? What could possibly be worse?" she asked. She noticed his violet eyes hardening, and flinched back with not a small amount of fear.

"You don't want to know…" was all he said.

The rest of the way, the Konoha shinobi traveled in an uncomfortable silence with Kakashi occasionally muttering incoherent statements and giggling perversely afterwards. It was painfully obvious what he was dreaming about.

"Well, here's my home!" called out Tazuna, snapping everyone out there reverie.

When they looked up, they were greeted by a humble two-story wooden home standing above the water on wooden stilts. It was surrounded by a rather wide water boardwalk that had two small boats latched onto it.

Without preamble, Tazuna entered his home, calling out, "Tsunami-chan, I'm home!"

Resounding footsteps rang from within the house, quickly followed by a feminine cry of happiness.

"Father! I'm so glad you've made it back home!" Tsunami's voice said. When the shinobi entered, they saw a rather pretty blue-haired woman wearing a short-sleeved pink shirt with a red collar and a long blue skirt.

"Hah! Nothing can stop your old man, Tsunami-chan!" Tazuna proclaimed loudly, pounding his chest lightly, making her giggle in response. "Oh, by the way, these are the Konoha shinobi that have helped me get here unscathed. Come in, everyone! Make yourselves at home."

"You have our thanks, Tazuna-san," Naruto spoke. He idly noticed Tsunami blush ever-so-slightly when her eyes fell upon him. They quickly became concerned when she saw Naruto's clone carrying the unconscious Kakashi.

"Right this way, shinobi-san. Let me set up a futon to lay your injured friend," Tsunami said as she bolted up the stairs.

Team 7 was already sitting on the ground with their legs crossed. Once Tsunami came and set up the futon, the clone laid Kakashi there and dispelled.

"You have my thanks, Tsunami-san," said Naruto. "Kakashi-senpai is suffering of chakra exhaustion, so he should be resting for at least four days, if not a week."

"Hah, not that much, kōhai," Kakashi whispered as he opened his eyes and sat up slightly.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried out in relief.

"Yo, Sakura-chan," Kakashi greeted lamely, giving her his eye-smile. Sasuke was giving him an odd look, while Sai gave him a fake smile. He looked at Naruto, who was still standing up, a contemplative expression on his face. "Something wrong, kōhai?"

Naruto nodded, looking straight into the silver-haired nin's eyes. "Kakashi-senpai, Zabuza is still alive."

Sakura gasped in horror along with Tazuna. Sasuke was looking at him with wide eyes and a small smirk. Sai only looked at him suspiciously. Tsunami showed fear, but she managed to restrain her gasp.

"I see. And how did you come by this conclusion, kōhai?" asked Kakashi sternly.

"Simple… the hunter-nin used Senbon to put Zabuza in a death-like state by stabbing the neck," the blond replied.

"Not to mention that he did not dispose of his body right then and there," supplied the silver-haired Jōnin. "I see. Yes, you are undoubtedly correct, kōhai."

"W-W-Wait a second. Aren't you guys over-thinking this?" asked Tazuna shakily.

"Not at all, Tazuna-san," Naruto answered. "We are shinobi. We live to deceive our enemies to secure victory and ensure survival. A ploy such as this is most certainly feasible, _especially_ from missing-nin like Zabuza."

"W-What will we do?" asked Sakura, not liking the prospect of facing Zabuza in battle once again.

"I will increase security around this house. I will have clones circulating the perimeter day and night, as well as watching the members of this household whenever they are out," Naruto stated in a business-like tone. "I will also install fūinjutsu arrays… nothing complicated, just detection seals powerful enough to detect even untraceable ninja."

Everyone, excluding Kakashi, stared at Naruto in absolute awe. The way he spoke about ensuring the security of Tazuna's family struck a chord in everyone… except a lone boy wearing overalls and a blue-striped hat that had wandered in when he finished his explanation.

"That _still_ won't be enough to stop Gatō. Nothing will _ever_ change things for the better," spoke the boy derisively, earning everyone's attention. Naruto, on his part, only gave him a side glance, his eyebrow raised.

"I take it that's your son, Tsunami-san?" asked Naruto as the boy ran and greeted Tazuna with a hug. She nodded, before giving her son a chastising expression.

"Inari, that was rude of you! These shinobi helped your grandfather get home safely! You would do well to apologize to them!" she said, pointing a finger at him.

"There's no need for that, Tsunami-san," Naruto spoke, quelling any further reprimands. He then directed himself to Inari. "Tell me, Inari. What makes you think Gatō is unstoppable?"

"Why should I tell _you_ anything? You're all going to _die_, anyways," Inari answered rudely, earning another raised brow from Naruto.

"INARI!" shouted Tsunami, truly angered by her son. She was about to grab Inari, but a raised hand from Naruto stopped her. Everyone looked at him in anticipation, wondering how he was going to respond to that.

"Fair enough, Inari. Allow me to show you something. Please come outside. Everyone is invited," Naruto said, pushing himself off the wall. He made a single hand seal.

**"****Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**

A clone of him emerged, offering a hand to Kakashi. The silver-haired Jōnin accepted, pulling himself upwards and landing on the back of the clone. He was truly interested in what Naruto was about to show the child.

"Kōhai, what are you doing?" he asked. Naruto looked at him, his eyes glinting and a small, mischievous smile on his face. Kakashi paled slightly. The last time Naruto had shown him _that_ expression, he had ended up in the hospital with his left arm broken and his ribs cracked.

"I think Inari needs a little more… persuasion," he replied, confirming Kakashi's fears.

_'__Oh, dear… This won't be good. May God help us all…'_ he thought despondently.

Everyone slowly filed outside of the house, thinking about Naruto's demonstration. Just what could he have in mind that would change the boy's mind? It had to be something drastic, for it obviously seemed that the child was entrenched in his belief that Gatō was unstoppable.

They lined up the boardwalk, facing the expansive waters of the sea. Naruto, however, continued walking, staying afloat on the water as he did.

The Genin (except Sai), stared in wonder. Of course, they had seen Kakashi do it, but to see someone else was just plain awesome. They had to wonder… was it an exercise of some sort that they learned later in their shinobi training?

"Very well, Inari. You say that Gatō is unstoppable, right?" asked Naruto, earning an impatient nod from the child. Tsunami and Tazuna stared in anticipation, anxiously waiting for this ninja to begin his demonstration. He took a battle stance, his arms in front of him, ready to perform a jutsu. He began making hand seals, too quick for everyone except Kakashi to follow. Then, he spread his arms wide.

The silver-haired nin's eyes widened drastically.

_'__Don't tell me he's going to use _that_ jutsu!'_ he thought.

**"****Suiton: Kyūbiko no Jutsu!"**

Everything around them began to shake… mightily. The members of Tazuna's household, along with the Konoha shinobi, were struggling to maintain their balance. Waves began to emerge from behind the blond-haired nin, striking at the shore.

Then, from behind Naruto, a massive volume of water shot up into the air, taking the form of a giant nine-tailed fox that had glowing yellow eyes that looked down upon the shinobi and citizens.

They stared back, their eyes as wide as they could go, in horror and in awe. It became worse, though, when the water fox lowered its stance, opened its enormous maw and roared, looking ready to pounce at them. The nine tails swayed around menacingly, striking the sea and melding into it before rising once again.

"Tell me, Inari! _Can Gatō do this?!_" Naruto shouted over the splashing sounds. Inari could not respond. His mind had lost all cognition the moment the fox rose from the water. Tsunami could barely believe her eyes at the incredible abilities shown by the handsome blond man.

_'__Is this what they call ninjutsu?'_ she thought in fear, gripping her son protectively.

The shinobi looked at Naruto in absolute shock. He was exuding a massive amount of chakra, manifesting in a shining golden aura that caused harsh gusts of wind and waves of water that crashed on the boardwalk.

Naruto lowered his arms, and with them, so did the water fox. It slowly sank into the vast expanse of water, becoming an amorphous mass.

_'__Incredible. Naruto-san is this powerful?'_ thought Sakura in amazement. _'But… why the Kyūbi?'_

_'__So, _this _is Namikaze's power. It's so great, it must be even greater than Itachi's! I have to know how he got this power!'_ thought Sasuke, marveling at the sheer amount of chakra manifested in his aura.

_'__Such power! How could such a powerful shinobi be hidden from Danzō-sama?' _Sai thought. _'He created a ninjutsu based on the Kyūbi. Is he somehow related to it?'_

_'__That Naruto… you must be getting a kick out of this,' _thought Kakashi, giving his trademark eye-smile.

When all the commotion was over, Naruto slowly glided over the water's surface, looking straight at Inari.

"Well, Inari. Can Gatō do that?" he asked. Inari looked at him, fear present in his eyes and shook his head. Tsunami tightened her protective hold on him. She calmed, however, when Tazuna's hand softly gripped her shoulder. Naruto noticed that, and he decided to voice his assurance, "There's no need to worry, Tsunami-san. All of my power will be invested in _your_ protection. You can rest easy. Everything will change for the better."

Tsunami looked straight at him, and once again blushed softly when she met his dazzling violet eyes.

"Thank you, Naruto-san," she whispered. Naruto nodded, a small smile on his lips.

"Inari," began Naruto, capturing the boy's attention. "Do not cower in the face of adversity, especially when your precious people are on the line. Use them as motivation to grow stronger. Honor your family by fighting for them, by never giving up, for if you do, you are bringing shame to this humble family. Your grandfather is risking his life by constructing the bridge to connect this country to the mainland, and your mother is risking hers by supporting him and providing asylum to us.

"Follow their example. Fight for your country and your people, for if you don't, you will always be under the feet of people like Gatō, unable to even live properly. Stand up for yourself. Don't let yourself be pushed around by _true_ cowards like Gatō, who think that by throwing money around, life will be easier.

"People will die… of that, have no doubt. But, instead of sinking into depression over their deaths, think of them as heroes, valiant people willing to risk everything they had to give everyone else a better life. You want that… don't you, Inari?"

Inari was silent, looking straight into Naruto's eyes, finding a semblance of calm within them. However, there was still one more question he had to ask.

"H-How can you say that? You're ninja! Don't you live good lives in your village? How do you even know about how I've lived?" he asked, noticeably more calm than before.

"Being a ninja is no game, Inari. You think _our_ lives are easy? Think again. Being a ninja is the worst kind of job you want to apply for if you want a good, peaceful life. The things you see while on missions are far worse than the situation in Nami no Kuni," Naruto explained.

"Take me for example. I lost both of my parents at the age of six. I was there, wide awake when the light left their eyes. My only family is the Sandaime Hokage, who is a grandfather to me in all but blood. _You_, on the other hand, still have your mother and your grandfather, who love you dearly. From what I've seen from your attitude, I can deduce that you lost someone precious to Gatō. Perhaps it was your father, due to the ring I see on your mother's left ring finger," he continued.

Tsunami gasped, placing her left hand over her chest and gripping it tightly with her right. Her eyes began to fill slightly with tears, a few drops racing down her cheeks. Tazuna lowered his head, sighing despondently.

The Konoha shinobi were completely silent, listening raptly to Naruto's speech. Sakura was, undoubtedly, surprised and saddened to hear that Naruto grew up alone without his parents. She could not imagine growing up without _her_ parents, as annoying as they may be.

Sasuke felt a strange tightening in his chest. He could relate to Naruto, having lost his _entire_ clan to his brother. However, when he looked at Naruto, he was surprised to see that he wasn't full of anger or hatred for whatever killed his parents. In fact, he seemed determined to get stronger, to protect what was precious to him.

_'__Can I find someone like that? Can… can I find my precious person? Namikaze, I must speak to you in private,'_ he thought, clenching his fist slightly.

Sai, however, was enraptured by his speech, reminding him of another person he used to hold precious. He looked at his small art book, memories beginning to flow about _him_.

_'__He's a lot like you, Shin…'_ he thought.

Kakashi was eye-smiling like there was no tomorrow. He was silently congratulating his sensei's son for the marvelous speech and the maturity it showed. It also exemplified what he himself stood for… comradeship.

_'__You have grown marvelously, kōhai. Minato-sensei would be so proud of you, as well as Kushina-san,'_ he thought.

"From your expressions, I can see that I'm right," Naruto continued, landing on the boardwalk and placing a shoulder on the eight year old boy. "Remember, Inari. Do not sink into despair, anger, or hatred for the precious people you've lost. Cherish your memories with them with all your heart, for they still live within you. Honor them by continuing the fight, for I'm pretty sure your father died fighting for _your_ future. Don't let his unfortunate death be in vain by sinking into despair, for if you do, you will bring shame to his memory. If you do, Gatō will have already won. Understand me, Inari?"

The boy nodded, revitalized by the words. Tsunami was crying silently, her heart touched by the blond. Tazuna could only smile at him, reenergized. He was ready to go give it his all in the bridge's construction.

"Thank you… shinobi-san," whispered Inari, smiling slightly. Naruto smiled back.

"The name's Naruto… Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto," the blond replied. Inari nodded.

"Thank you… Naruto-niisan," Inari repeated, earning surprised expressions from everyone. "Can I call you that?"

"Hah, of course you can, Inari-_kun_," Naruto replied. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll begin setting up the fūinjutsu array around your home. Kakashi-senpai, please stay behind. I need to speak to you privately."

Kakashi nodded, gesturing for the clone supporting him to move towards the direction Naruto was pointing that.

"Alright, kōhai. My cute little Genin, please go inside with Tazuna-san. I'll be there with you shortly," Kakashi commanded with an eye-smile. Everyone nodded and did as they were told. Only Sasuke seemed to do it a bit begrudgingly.

"Alright, kōhai, what can I do for you?" he asked when he was sure they were completely alone.

"Senpai, what will you do during this week that you will be resting?" asked Naruto.

"Well, since Zabuza's alive, and most likely bedridden for the week as well, I will train my cute little Genin!" Kakashi replied happily. "I was wondering… would you like to assist me in their training?"

"I don't think I'm qualified to be a Jōnin sensei, senpai…" replied Naruto simply.

"Nonsense, kōhai! You're an Elite Jōnin of Konoha, right? You are _more_ than qualified to teach cute little Genin!" Kakashi retorted, patting Naruto's shoulder.

"You might be correct in that, Kakashi-senpai. But not until I complete my missions," said Naruto.

"Which are…?" the silver-haired Jōnin prompted.

"I currently have two missions, senpai," Naruto began. "One of them is to bring Team 7 back to Konoha safe…"

He trailed off, contemplating on how to tell Kakashi of his other mission. Kakashi nodded, wanting the blond Jōnin to continue.

"And the other…?"

Naruto sighed softly, looking at Kakashi straight in the eyes.

"My other mission… I have to assassinate Gatō…"

…

* * *

_**And this, my friends, concludes chapter 2 of "The Storm Fox". **_

_**Since my muse is still going strong for Naruto, I will continue writing it. Not to worry, my Fairy Tail readers, those will continue to be updates as well, with chapter 5 of "Natsu Draggio: Dragon of Lightning" almost complete.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! **_

_**Thank you for reading!**_

_**Please! Review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


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